Boy Scout Troop 585 not only graduates Eagle Scout after Eagle Scout from its troop; it has begun spawning them in groups of five.
La Jolla High School students Wade Schneider, 18, Brian Russell, 16, David Frerker, 15, Ean Sharp, 16, and John York, 17, of University City High School, built bridges, a fence, steps and installed logs to achieve their Eagle Scout status, the pinnacle of the Boy Scout career.
Scoutmaster Lee Sharp received high praise from the graduating boys and it’s no wonder: 18 Eagles have come through the ranks during the past six years, with each name inscribed on a plaque at the entryway of All Hallows Church. Only about 4 percent of all Boy Scouts achieve Eagle Scout status, according to Wikipedia.
Scoutmaster Sharp will also complete his most recent scouting adventure. He is retiring after 10 years of serving as a scoutmaster. As his son becomes an Eagle Scout, Sharp said it was time to pass the baton to other leaders in the community. Sharp hails from a lineage of Eagle Scouts, as both he and his father achieved the ultimate scouting rank.

“I’ve met some terrific young men and they’ve done some amazing things, and I hope that someday they will become a scoutmaster, too,” Sharp said.
To become an Eagle, a Boy Scout must first earn all of his badges and then organize and execute his own service project. Many of the boys attested that it was perhaps the hardest thing they’ve ever done.
Two of the scout projects will give Clairemont neighborhoods greater access to local canyons. Russell constructed a bridge over Rose Creek Canyon to connect a neighborhood with hiking trails, while Frerker built a bridge over a drainage ditch at Tecolote Canyon to link another neighborhood to the trails.
Other regional parks benefited from the scout touch. Schneider erected a post and cable system along Balboa Park Trail to prevent walkers from trampling vegetation. Sharp built steps for Mission Trails Regional Park, which had been damaged by fire and erosion, and Armstead installed logs along one of the trail’s parking lots to protect the habitat.
Sharp found that the hardest part of the project was the planning, which took him eight months to arrange, partly due to a lack of communication with the ranger.
“It’s supposed to be a way to develop skills for the future,” Sharp said.
The May 31 ceremony began with the Marine Corps Color Guard marching solemnly past pews packed with proud relatives and friends. The guard donned American Revolution-era uniforms, hoisted their carbines and lifted high the Stars and Stripes. U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting later honored the Eagles with plaques.
Laughter, jokes and stories mingled with the pride and honor of the evening. Even as the scouts soberly repeated the Scout oath to “keep physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight,” they also joked about leading younger scouts on a goose chase for “snipe,” a bird-like lizard that doesn’t actually exist.
The scouts reminisced about arguments on the Colorado River, climbing a 5,000-foot mountain with 50 pounds on their backs and waking to find bear droppings next to their tents. They also fondly remembered building cars for the Pinewood Derby back in middle school.
Scouting also opened the door to unique opportunities, such as a trip to Catalina Island, where the boys witnessed a flag-retiring ceremony that involved striping and burning the flag.
“More than just these experiences, scouting is about learning valuable skills such as first aid, survival and communication,” Russell emphasized. “Another major aspect is service. Whatever the rank, service is required.”
Sharp reflected that keeping the boys focused and disciplined among the array of activities in the boys’ lives was one of the greater challenges of being a scoutmaster. The goal is to support the scouts, achieve a balance and to understand time management, Sharp said.
A mentor or parent spoke on behalf of each of the scouts. Former Cub Scout den mother Paula Baker remembered Frerker as “a rambunctious, goofy, random and darling 7-year-old” who would automatically drop to the floor and start to wrestle with the other Cub Scouts if not engaged.
“Tonight is about the present and transformation,” Baker said. “And it’s about what David will give the future. He’s already proven that he has the quality to make a true leader and a hero.”
Tom Russell spoke about the loyalty of his son Brian to his troop, church, family and friends, a virtue that is high on the Scout Law. The law states that a scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
“Most organizations start with laws about things that you can or can’t do, but the Scout Law simply states what a scout is,” Russell said.
Scoutmaster Sharp read from a passage he came across in business that made him think of his son Ean.
“Living so that when other people think of integrity, enthusiasm, commitment and caring, they think of you. Knowing you were born original. Knowing you can’t play it safe. Knowing you can’t sit it out. This is my son. An Eagle Scout.”
The scouting adventure doesn’t end here, Sharp reminded the boys. Becoming an Eagle Scout is the beginning of a new journey, not the end, he quipped.
“Once an Eagle, always an Eagle; I want you to set the bar higher,” Sharp said.
Boy Scout Troop 585 meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at All Hallows, 6602 La Jolla Scenic Drive South. For information e-mail [email protected].